Prominent interstitial shadowing - worried sick. Advice plea

Hi, I decided to have a full medical at a private clinic just because I thought it might be a good idea at the age of 50, not because there is anything wrong. (Or so I  thought). My chest x ray showed up as having coarse bilateral markings and prominent interstitial shadowing. I have been given antibiotics to rule out a lung infection but am worried sick. I still have a week to go before the next x ray. Is it really possible that I have a lung infection, even though I have no symptons? I gave up smoking in my twenties and didn't smoke for ten years but was an 'occasional social smoker' in my 30s and 40s. Maybe 3 a month. Worried sick. I've had no symptons of a lung infection or lung cancer but I have read that LC can be symptomless. Any reassurance would be gratefully received. 

  • Hello Punch

    I'm sorry that you are feeling so anxious and I can't offer reassurance except to say that an infection or benign condition is being considered so must be more likely than a serious disease or malignancy. I do have lung cancer which was symptomatic but only when it was a large enough to cause an obstruction to the function of my lung - dry cough and wheeze- and also large enough to have spread locally, but there were no symptoms at all before that.
    However, if you do have a type of lung disease, you have found it before there were any symptoms and this could possibly mean that it is more treatable. Maybe you could think about it like that as you are trying to cope with the anxiety.

    Waiting for a diagnosis is a horrible and difficult time. I will be thinking of you and have everything crossed for a good outcome. Let me know.

    Best wishes

    Joy 

  • Hi Joy,

    How sweet of you to reply. Especially when you are suffering yourself. Thank you so much. I will be thinking of you too. X